Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM) is a non-volatile computer memory technology based on magnetoresistance. One type of MRAM cell is a spin torque transfer MRAM (STT-MRAM) cell, which includes a magnetic cell core supported by a substrate. The magnetic cell core includes at least two magnetic regions, for example, a “fixed region” and a “free region,” with a non-magnetic region between. The free region and the fixed region may exhibit magnetic orientations that are either horizontally oriented (“in-plane”) or perpendicularly oriented (“out-of-plane”) with the width of the regions. The fixed region includes a magnetic material that has a substantially fixed (e.g., a non-switchable) magnetic orientation. The free region, on the other hand, includes a magnetic material that has a magnetic orientation that may be switched, during operation of the cell, between a “parallel” configuration and an “anti-parallel” configuration. In the parallel configuration, the magnetic orientations of the fixed region and the free region are directed in the same direction (e.g., north and north, east and east, south and south, or west and west, respectively). In the “anti-parallel” configuration, the magnetic orientations of the fixed region and the free region are directed in opposite directions (e.g., north and south, east and west, south and north, or west and east, respectively). In the parallel configuration, the STT-MRAM cell exhibits a lower electrical resistance across the magnetoresistive elements (e.g., the fixed region and free region). This state of low electrical resistance may be defined as a “0” logic state of the MRAM cell. In the anti-parallel configuration, the STT-MRAM cell exhibits a higher electrical resistance across the magnetoresistive elements. This state of high electrical resistance may be defined as a “1” logic state of the STT-MRAM cell.
Switching of the magnetic orientation of the free region may be accomplished by passing a programming current through the magnetic cell core and the fixed and free regions therein. The fixed region polarizes the electron spin of the programming current, and torque is created as the spin-polarized current passes through the core. The spin-polarized electron current exerts the torque on the free region. When the torque of the spin-polarized electron current passing through the core is greater than a critical switching current density (Jc) of the free region, the direction of the magnetic orientation of the free region is switched. Thus, the programming current can be used to alter the electrical resistance across the magnetic regions. The resulting high or low electrical resistance states across the magnetoresistive elements enable the write and read operations of the MRAM cell. After switching the magnetic orientation of the free region to achieve the one of the parallel configuration and the anti-parallel configuration associated with a desired logic state, the magnetic orientation of the free region is usually desired to be maintained, during a “storage” stage, until the MRAM cell is to be rewritten to a different configuration (i.e., to a different logic state).
A magnetic region's magnetic anisotropy (“MA”) is an indication of the directional dependence of the material's magnetic properties. Therefore, the MA is also an indication of the strength of the material's magnetic orientation and of its resistance to alteration of its orientation. A magnetic material exhibiting a magnetic orientation with a high MA strength may be less prone to alteration of its magnetic orientation than a magnetic material exhibiting a magnetic orientation with a low MA strength. Therefore, a free region with a high MA strength may be more stable during storage than a free region with a low MA strength.
Contact or near contact between certain nonmagnetic material (e.g., oxide material) and magnetic material may induce MA (e.g., increase MA strength) along a surface of the magnetic material, adding to the overall MA strength of the magnetic material and the MRAM cell. Generally, the greater the ratio of the magnetic material in contact with the surface/interface MA-inducing material to the non-contacted portion of the magnetic material, the higher the MA strength of the magnetic region. Therefore, generally, conventional magnetic cell structures directly contact the magnetic material of, e.g., the free region, to a neighboring MA-inducing oxide region, without another material between the magnetic material and the MA-inducing material.
Other beneficial properties of free regions are often associated with thick (i.e., a high, vertical dimension) free regions and with the microstructure of the free regions. These properties include, for example, the cell's tunnel magnetoresistance (“TMR”). TMR is a ratio of the difference between the cell's electrical resistance in the anti-parallel configuration (Rap) and its resistance in the parallel configuration (Rp) to Rp (i.e., TMR=(Rap−Rp)/Rp). Generally, a thick free region with few structural defects in the microstructure of its magnetic material has a higher TMR than a thin free region with structural defects. A cell with high TMR may have a high read-out signal, which may speed the reading of the MRAM cell during operation. High TMR may also enable use of low programming current.
A thick, defect-free free region may also have a higher energy barrier (Eb) and higher energy barrier ratio (Eb/kT) compared to a thin, defect-including free region. The energy barrier ratio is a ratio of Eb to kT, wherein k is the Boltzmann constant and T is temperature. The Eb and the energy barrier ratio are indications of the cell's thermal stability and, therefore, its data retention. The higher the Eb and the higher the energy barrier ratio, the less prone the cell may be to premature switching (e.g., switching out of a programmed parallel or anti-parallel configuration during storage).
A defect-free free region that is “magnetically continuous” (i.e., not interrupted by non-magnetic material dispersed among magnetic material) may have a higher exchange stiffness than a defect-including, magnetically interrupted free region. Exchange stiffness (A=Eex/α, Eex=exchange energy per atom, a=distance) is a property of a magnetic material. Generally, the higher the exchange stiffness of a magnetic material, the better the magnetic material may perform as a free region of an MRAM cell.
Efforts have been made to form free regions that have a high MA strength as well as a thickness conducive for high TMR, or other properties, by positioning a thick free region between two MA-inducing materials, doubling the surface area of the magnetic material exposed to the MA-inducing material. However, a conventional MA-inducing material may be electrically resistant. Therefore, including a second MA-inducing material region in the MRAM cell increases the electrical resistance of the magnetic cell core. Including a second MA-inducing material region in conventional MRAM cell structures may also lead to structural defects in the cell core. Accordingly, forming MRAM cell structures having high MA strength, high TMR, high energy barriers and energy barrier ratios, and high exchange stiffness has presented challenges.